Clasp or connector for bracelets, chains, necklaces, or the like



Sept. 24, 1940. c H KESTENMAN 2,215,526

CLASP OR CONNECTOR FOR BRACELETS, CHAINS, NECKLACES, OR THE LIKE Filed March 5, 1938 K, V, 11. 911595- I Patented Sept. 24, 1940 CLASP R. CONNECTOR FOR BRACELETS, CHAINS, NECKLACES, OR THE LIKE Charles H. Kestenman, Providence, 1., assignor to Kestenman' Bros. Mfg. C'o., Providence, R. I., a, corporation ofRho'de Island Application March 5, 1938, Serial No. 194,130

' [3 Claims. (01. 24-241) The present invention relates to an improved connector or clasp for joining the opposite ends of a strap, band, chain, necklace, bracelet or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a clasp of the type indicated having a safety detentlatch for retaining the end of the bracelet attached to the clasp if the latter is accidently unlatched. 5

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp of the type indicated'having a detentlatch adapted to yield to permitthe bracelet end to be connected to the clasp while resisting movement in the opposiae direction to retain the end of the bracelet connected. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp of the type indicated having a hinged latching plate overlying the detent-latch to positively hold the end of the bracelet connected.

Still another object of the invention-is to provide a clasp of the type indicated which is of simple and compact construction, economical to manufacture, and neat'and ornamental in appearance. I

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the device, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing. In the drawing;

thereto and illustrating the parts of the clasp in closed relationship;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig, 2 showing'the latching plate raised to open position and the bail of one of the terminal members retained in the clasp by the detent-latch; V

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the detent-latch rocked about its pivot to permit the bail oi the terminal member to be connected to or removed from the clasp;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the manner in which the hinged latching plate en- .gages the detent-latch as the plate is swung toward the body member to rock the latch into cooperative relationship with the hook of the clasp to cause it to overlie the bail of the terminal member; I Fig. 6 is a part-sectional plan view oi the clasp Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion ofa cord Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the showing the alined relationship of the detentlatch and hook of the clasp; and t Fig. 7 is an extended perspective view of the parts of the clasp.

Clasps for joining the opposite ends of wristwatch bracelets or the like usually comprise a body-member permanently connected to one end of the bracelet and adapted to detachably connect the opposite end of the bracelet. The detachable end of the bracelet is normally held in the body-member by an element hinged thereto and adapted to be latched in closed position over"- lyingthe connected bracelet-end. If the hinged element is accidently unlatched the detachable end of the bracelet is apt to slip out of the bodymember and release the bracelet. As a result, the wrist-watch or other article held by the bracelet may be dropped and damaged or even lost. The clasp of the present invention incorporates a 'detent-latch which is depressible to permit the end of the bracelet to be detachably connected to the clasp while resisting movement in the opposite direction to prevent disconnection of the bracelet-end independently of the hinged latching element.

Fig. lvof the drawing illustrates a cord bracelet comprising a pair of looped cords 2 having terminal members 3 and 4 at their ends joined by a clasp 5 constituting the subject-matter of the presentinvention. It is to be understood, however, that the clasp 5 is not limited to use with cord bracelets but may be employed with other types of bracelets or with straps, bands, chains, necklaces or the like. The terminal members 3 and t are of usual construction comprising a housing 6 for receiving the ends of the looped cords 2 and a ro'ckable element l2 for gripping or clamping the cord-ends in the housing, see Fig. 3. The terminal member 3 has forwardlyextending side walls I and 8 with inwardly-projecting lugs 9 and Ill at their ends for connecting it to the clasp 5 in a manner as later more fully explained. The terminal member 4 is similar in general to the member 3, but instead of having lugs 9 and IE it is provided with abar or bail II extending between the ends of its side walls I and 8.

The clasp 5 comprises a body-member l5 having a bottom wallv l6 and side walls H and 18 projecting upwardly from the opposite edges of the bottom wall with their forward edges l9 inclined toward the bottom wall. The bottom wall [6 projects beyond the inclined edges IQ, of the side walls H and i8 and is curled upwardly and rearwardly to form a curved hook 29. The terminal mit the bail II the body-member.

member 3 is permanently connected to the bodymember I5 by means of the inwardly-directed lugs 9 and I6 which project into alined holes in the side walls I! and I8 of the body-member. To prevent rocking movement of the clasp 5 on the lugs 9 and I6 a pin 26 is inserted through alined holes 21 in the side walls 1, 8 of the terminal member 3 and holes 28 in the side walls I! and I6 of the body-member I6; the pin being headed over at its ends to hold it in place.

A latching plate or cover 36 is hingedly mounted on the body-member I5 to adapt it to close its open top and overlie the hook 26 to positively retain the bail I I of the terminal connector 4 therein. As herein illustrated the latching plate 36 is of a contour corresponding to the shape of the top of the body-member I5 and has a norrowed end tab 3| curled around the pin 26 between the side walls I! and I8 to hingedly mount the latching plate on the body-member. The end of the latching plate 36 opposite from its pivoted end 3| is of arcuate contour, as indicated by the reference character 32, to form a catch adapted to snap over the rounded hook 26 at the end of the bodymember I5. A finger-grip 33 is formed on the curved end 3?. of the latching plate 36 by striking up the metal. Thus, when the latching plate 36 is rocked downwardly about the pivot-pin 26 it may be latched in closed position overlying the body-member I5 by snapping its end 32 over the extends through alined holes 45 in the side walls I1 and I8 of the body-member I5 and holes 46 in the hinge-ears M of the detent-latch to pivotally mount the latter on the clasp. The dimensions of the detentdatch 46 and the location of the pivot-pin 44 are such that the toe-portion 42 of the latch forms a continuation of the hook 26 on the body-member I5 when the end of the stop-finger 43 engages the bottom wall I6 of the body-member as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The toe 42 thus overlies the opening of the hook 26 .to retain the bail II of the terminal member 4 therein. The detent-latch 46 is prevented from movement to rock its toe 42 outwardly of the body-member by the engagement of the end of its stop-finger 46 with the bottom wall I6 of The detent-latch 40 is adapted to rock on the pivot-pin 44 to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to depress its toe 42 below the end of the hook 26 of the body-member I5 to permit the bail II of the terminal member 4 to be engaged therewith or to be released therefrom.

To attach the end of the bracelet to the clasp 5 the latching plate 36 is swung about its pivotpin 26 to open position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the bail ll of the terminal member 4 is pressed down against the toe-portion 42 of the latch 46. The toe-portion 42 of the latch will thus be depressed out of alinement with the end of the hook 26 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to perto pass into the hook. The hinged latching plate 36 is then swung on the pin 26 toward the open side of the body-member I5. Adjacent the end of its swinging movement the under side of the latching plate will en-- gage the curved portion 43 of the detent-latch 46 as illustrated in Fig. 5 to rock the latter to the position shown in Fig. 2. The toe-portion 42 of the latch 46 is thus rocked into alinement with the end of the hook 26 of the body-member I5 while being restrained from outward movement by the engagement of the end of its stop-finger 43 with the bottom wall I6 of the body-member. Continued rocking movement of the latching plate 36 causes its curved end 32 to snap over the end of the hook 26 of the body-member I5 to latch the cover in closed position thereon. The latching plate 36 then overlies the opening of the hook 26 to positively retain the bail I I of the terminal member 4 therein.

Should the latching plate 36 be accidentally released and swung to the open position illustrated in Fig. 3, the bail I I of the terminal member 4 will be retained in the hook 26 by the toeportion 42 of the detent-latch 46. If the bail II is forced upwardly in the hook 26 it will engage the toe-portion 42 of the detent-latch 46 which is prevented from outward movement by the engagement of the end of the finger 43 with the bottom wall I6 of the body-member I5. When it is desired to release the bail II of the terminal member 4 from the clasp 5 so that the bracelet 2 may be removed from the wrist the latching plate 36 is swung to its open position and the detent-latch 46 rocked on its pivot-pin 44 to the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. This is readily accomplished by manually depressing the toe-portion 42 of the latch 46 below the end of the hook 26 on the body-member I5, thereby opening the hook for withdrawal of the bail II. When the bracelet 2 is to be replaced on the wrist the bail II of the terminal member 4 is again engaged with the hook 26 in the manner previously explained and the latching lever 36 swung to closed position on the body-member I5 and latched by snapping its curved end 32 over the end of the hook 26.

It will be observed that the present invention provides a clasp for connecting the ends of a strap, band, chain, necklace. bracelet or the like with a safety detent-latch adapted to yield to permit the end of the bracelet to be joined thereto while resisting movement in the opposite direction to retain the parts connected. It will also be observed that the invention provides a clasp having a minimum number of parts to adapt it for economical manufacture and of simple and compact construction to render it suitable for its intended use.

While I have herein described and illustrated a preferred form of construction of the device, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a device of the type indicated, the combination with a bracelet, of terminal members at the opposite ends of the bracelet, one of said terminal members having inturned lugs at one end and the other terminal member haw'ng a transverse bail at its end, and a clasp for connecting the terminal members comprising a bodymember having a bottom wall, side walls and a hook at one end, said side walls having holes for receiving the inturned lugs on one of the terminal members to attach it to the body-member, a pin extending through said terminal member and side walls of the body-member at a point spaced from the lugs to hold the terminal member against pivotal movement thereon, said hook being adapted to detachably engage the bail of the opposite terminal member, a detent-latch on the body-member cooperating with the hook to hold the bail therein, and a latching plate hingedly mounted on the body-member of the clasp and adapted to overlie the detent-latch and close the open top of the body-member.

2. A clasp for connecting the ends of a bracelet, chain or the like comprising a body-member having a bottom wall, side walls and an open top, one end of the bottom Wall extending beyond the side walls and shaped as a hook, a detent-latch pivotally mounted on the body-memher and having a toe-portion at one side of its pivot for cooperation with the end of the hook to close the opening of the latter and also provided with a stop at the opposite side of its pivot, said detent-latch being rockable in one direction to depress its toe into the body-member to open the hook and held against rocking movement in the opposite direction by the engagement of its stop with the body-member whereby to retain the bracelet end connected to the hook, and a covermember pivoted to the body-member and having a curved end overlying the hook to adapt it to snap into engagement therewith to close the open top of the body-member.

3. A clasp for connecting the ends of a bracelet or the like comprising a body-member having a bottom wall, side walls and an open top, one end of the bottom wall extending beyond the side walls and bent around to form a hook, a detent-latch pivotally mounted on the body-mem her and having a toe-portion at one side of its pivot and a depending stop-finger at the opposite side of its pivot, said detent-latch being adapted to be rocked by the engagement of the looped end of the bracelet against its toe-portion to open the hook while resisting rocking movement in the opposite direction by the engagement of its depending'stop-finger with the bottom wall of the 

